Apparatus for the manufacture of gas



' (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J; S. ROGERS 8; J. H. BAKER. APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS. No.471.398;

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(No Model.) 3 Sh'eets-Sheet 2. J. S. ROGERS 8v J. H. BAKER. APPARATUSFOR THE MANUFACTURED}? GAS.

No. 471,398. Patented Mar. 22, 1892.- A

INVENTCIRE WITNESSES;

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

J. SLR'OGERS & J. H. BAKER. APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS."

No. 471,398. Patented M r.-22, 1892.

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UNrrnn STATES PATENT OFFIC JAMES S. ROGERS AND JAMES H. BAKER, OFSARATOGA SPRINGS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS TO THE ACME LIQUID FUEL COMPANY,OF NEW YORK.

APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 471,398, dated March22, 1892.

Serial No. 376,821. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JAMES S. ROGERS and JAMES H. BAKER, citizens of theUnited States, residing at Saratoga Springs, in the county of Saratogaand State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Apparatus for Manufacturing Combustible Gases; and we do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part hereof.

This invention consists of an improved apparatus for the manufacture orgeneration of combustible gases by a continuous process from steam bypassing the same through incandescent coal or other carbonaceousmaterial, the apparatus being so constructed and arranged as to admit ofthe continuous and rapid generation of the gas at a greatly-reduced costover the processes now in use.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, ofwhich the'accompanying drawings form a part, wherein similarreference-numerals designate like or equivalent parts wherever foundthroughout the several views, and in which- Figure 1 represents a frontelevation of the improved apparatus, certain parts being shown insection and others broken away; Fig. 2 a detail, Fig. 3 a side view, andFig. 4 a top plan view, of the apparatus, portions of which are shown insection. Fig. 5 is a detail section.

In this apparatus two or more cupolas of any desired shape and size areplaced near each other, or preferably inclosed in a common shell, whichsurrounds both. Each generator is separately lined with fire-brick orother similar material, and a space between the lining and the outsideshell is filled with finely-pulverized lime or other non-conductingmaterial. Each generator is provided with a shaking and dumping grate,by means of which ashes and clinkers can be shaken into the ash-pit evenwhile the generation of gas is going on, and with a feed-hole at thetop, which also answers for a draft-flue, and with a pipe for conductingthe gas therefrom as fast as made. A separate smoke-stack or escape-fluefor the products of combustion is provided for each generator, whichserves the double purpose of an escape-flue and an inclosure for asteam-coil, whereby steam may be superheated before being conducted intothe generator, and a single blower or fan supplies either. or both ofthe generators with an air-blast, and by means of automatic valves andattachments the blower or fan can be kept constantly running while thecharge of steam is being shifted from one generator to the other, andthe pressure of steam going into the generator can be kept uniform,while the quantity admitted will be in exact proportion to the amountused.

Referring to the drawings, the referencenumerals l and 2 designate twogenerators of cylindrical or other preferred shape inclosed 7o in aniron shell 3 and separated from each other by an iron partition 4. Thesegenerators may be made entirely separate, if necessary, and placed atany desired distance apart.

The grates 5 are made in sections with in- 7 5 terlocking bars, andthese sections are rocked backward and forward by means ofconnecting-links 6 and a lever 7, working on the arm 8. The arm 8 passesthrough the side of the generator, as shown, and, being provided with astuffing-box 9 to prevent the escape of steam from the ash-pit, theashes, clinkers, and other substances can be dumped or shaken down atany time even while the charge of steam is on the generator.

The .door 10 to the ash-pit is made circular in shape with a bevelededge at the circumference, which fits into a corresponding seat Y in thedoor-frame, which is fastened to the shell of the generator. Thisdoor-1O is piv- 9o oted centrally, as at 10, on an arm 11, which ishinged to one side of the frame and secured at the opposite side bymeans of a clampscrew 12, the outer side of the door beinggrooved, as at10 for receiving a lever by 5 which the door can be rotated on its axialfastening to the arm 11, thus removing any dirt that may be on thejointed edges and allowing the joint to be made tight.

The feed-hole 13, Fig. 1, is extended upward by a T or casing 14,through which fuel is fed into the generator, and which serves, also, as

a flue for the escaping products of combustion while blowing up thefire. The annular hole or opening in the top of this casing is concavedto form a tight joint in connection with the valve 15, the inner surfaceof which.

is correspondingly beveled. This valve is operated by a lever 16,connected with the arm to which the valve is attached, which is hinged,as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, to the top of the casing or T 14, and thevalve and lever are sufficiently heavy to withstand any proper pressurefrom within and act as a safety valve or vent if from any cause an unduepressure should take place within the generator. A pipe 17, Figs. 1 and3, connects the casing or T 14 with a hydraulic seal 18.

Each generator is provided with a similar pipe 17, and these pipes eachextend below the water-level in the seal 18, thus preventing thehydrogen or other gases from working back into the generator, which isbeing blown up in the operation of the apparatus, as hereinafterdescribed. A pipe 19, connected with the hydraulic seal at the top andabove the waterlevel, serves as a discharge-conduit, through which allthe gas produced by the generators is conducted to the place or placesof storage or use. At some point, as 20, in pipe 19 water is admitted ina jet or spray, which serves the double purpose of washing and coolingthe gases and of supplying the hydraulic seal with water. The seal isthus kept full up to the point of connection of the trap 21, Fig. 3,which takes off the overflow, and a petcock 22 in the trap 21 preventssiphonage, while a waste cook or valve 23 is employed for drawing oifall the water in the seal when desired.

A pressure-indicator is placed at some convenient point on pipe 19, asat 24, which consists of a reservoir 25, connected with pipe 19 by apipe 26, and to this is connected a glass gage 27, attached to agraduated scale 28. The reservoir 25 being filled with water through avalve 29 and the valve closed, the pressure of the gases in pipe 19 asit passes through pipe 26 acts upon the water in the reservoir 25 andforces it up into the glass gage 27. \Vhen this indicator shows lessthan the required pressure, it indicates that it is time to shift thecharge.

An air-blast pipe 30, having branches 31, leads from a blower or fan(not shown) to the several generators and communication therewith by thebranches 31 is made below the grate, as shown in Fig. 1. The fiow of airthrough these pipes to the generators is admitted, excluded, orregulated by. means of valves 32 and at some convenient point on pipe isplaced asa fety-valve 33,which allows of the continuous running of theblower or fan, the air being forced out of this valve when all otherports are closed.

The smoke-stacks 34 are made telescopic, the lower inner parts beingsuspended by chains 35 and counterbalanced by weights 36. The stack ismade in this way to facilitate feeding coal into the generator and alsoto exclude cold air from the interior of the stack, thus preventing thecooling of the steam-coil hereinafter described when the generator isbeing blown up, this being done by drawin g the hood attached to thelower adjustable part of the stack close down to the top of the casingor T 14.

Within each stack is placed a coil of pipe 37, through which steam ispassed for superheating before being admitted to the generator. Thesecoils are heated by gases arising from the generators while being blownup, and these gases are kept ignited by a gas-jet 38, kept constantlyburning at the draft-hole of each generator, the gas to supply this jetbeing supplied by a pipe 39 from any convenient source. The coil in thestack which is being blown up in the operation of the apparatus isalways used to superheat the steam for the opposite or adjacentgenerator, which has already been prepared for making gas. Steam isadmitted to these coils by means of a three-way cock 40 and branch pipes41, the threeway cock being so constructed that steam can be thrown byit into either coil or shut olf from either or both. The steam-coil inthe stack of generator 1 is in communicati on with generator 2 below thegrate by means of a pipe 42, which extends from the coil through the topof the casing of gener ator 2, and, passing down behind the bricklining, enters the ash-pit just below the grate, and the steam-coil inthe stack of generator 2 communicates with generator 1 in the samemanner, a pipe 42, leading therefrom through the casing of generator 1near the top, extending down behind the brick liningand entering thegenerator below the grate. I

At a point between the boiler or steam-supply and the three-way cook 40is a steam-pressu re regulator consisting of a diaphragm-pressureregulator 43, a lever 44, a movable weight 45, a regulating-valve 46,and a safety-valve 47. This regulator can be set at any desired pressureby moving the weight on the lever 44 toward the end for increasing andtoward the diaphragm for decreasing the pressure. The safety-valve 47 isplaced in the steampipe 48 to permit the escape of steam in case of anydisarrangement of the governing-valve.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: Having supplied thegenerators with coal and lighted the tires, with the ash-pit doors andthe top or draft-hole covers all open,ligh-t the gas-jets 38, close theash-pit door of the generator first to be blown up, and start theblower, first having closed all valves or openings but that at the topof the generator which is to receive the first blast and the valves 82in the air-pipe 31, leading thereto. \Vhen first starting, eachgenerator may be blown up at the same time, if necessary. Having got thefire in proper condition and the fuel heated to incandescence, shut offthe air-blast and turn it onto the other generator, proceeding as in thefirst instance. The gas-jets should be kept continually burning. Ifgenerator 1 is the first ready, turn the three-way cock so as to letsteam into the coil in the stack of generator 2. This generator being inthe process of blowing up, the heat of the burning gases superheats thesteam in such coil, and the steam so superheated flows through the pipe42, through the top of the casing of generator 1, and, passing downthrough said pipe, flows into the ash-pit below the grate thereof, and,arising through the coal, becomes gasified or converted into combustiblegases and passes through pipe 17 into the seal 18 and thence throughpipe 19 to the place of use or storage. During this operation the valve15 is of course closed, it being kept open only during the operation ofblowing up. WVhenever it is time to shift the charge, which may beindicated by the pressure-regulator in the gas-pipe 19, the generator 1having been first charged, it is only necessary to reverse the operationdescribed with reference to generator 1, the valve 15 on generator 1being opened, the air-blast turned on, and the steam from the coil inthe stack of generator 1 being superheated by the blowing up thereof anddischarged into generator 2, the governor-valve 15 and air-blast valvesof which have been closed.

It will be observed that Fig. 1 of the drawings shows the governor-valve15 of generator 1 open, as in the process of blowing up, and that ofgenerator 2 closed, or in the position to receive the steam charge. Itwill thus be seen that by this apparatus the continuous generation ofgas goes on at all times when the apparatus is in operation, theshifting of the steam charge from one generator to the other beinginstantaneous and effected by the movement of asingle valve, and whilethe steam charge is on one generator the other, being supplied with fueland blown up, is ready to receive the steam charge at anytime. Thevalves in the air-blast pipes 31 may be operated by a single attachment,if necessary, or singly. Should the steam-pressure regulator connectedwith pipe 48 fail to work from any cause, the pressure will at onceoperate the safety-valve 17, and thus prevent undue pressure in thegenerator, and the glass gage previously described shows at all timesthe pressure in the gas-main. Should the outflow of gas be out off, itwill be seen that the automatic arrangements described will close thesteam-inlet, and no more gas will be made until the pressure from withinis relieved;

but ifmore than the regular amount of gas is wanted the valve willinstantly open and allow more steam to enter.

It is evident that many changes in the construction, arrangement, andcombination of the various elements of this improved apparatus may bemade without departing from the scope of the invention, which is notlimited to the exact form of construction shown and described, but whichis regarded as covering any form of apparatus constructed and operatingsubstantially in the same manner.

Having fully described our invention, its

construction and operation,we claim, and devided with a separate stackor escape-flue and a steam-coil located therein, the steamcoil in thestack of each generator being in communication with an adjacentgenerator,

and means for operating the generators and conveying the gas therefrom,substantially .as shown and described.

2. In an apparatus for manufacturing combustible gases, the combinationof adjacent cupolas or generators, each of which is provided with aseparate stack or escape-flue and a steam-coil located therein, anair-blast supply also in communication with each generator, means fordirecting the air into either, the steam-coils in the stack of onegenerator being in communication with an adjacent generator, and meansfor operating the generators and conveying the gas therefrom,substantially as shown and described.

3. In an apparatus for manufacturing combustible gases, the combinationof adjacent cupolas or generators, each of which is provided with astack or escape-flue and a steam-coil located therein, each coil beingin communi cation with a suppply-pipe provided with a pressure-regulatorand the steam-coil in the stack of one generator being in communicationwith the adjacent generator, and means for conveying the gas from thegenerators,

substantially as shown and described.

4. In an apparatus for manufacturing combustible gases, the combinationof adjacent cupolas or generators, each of which is provided with astack or escape-flue and a steam-coil located therein, each steam-coilbeing in communication with a single supplypipe provided with apressure-regulator, air-blast-supply pipes in communication with eachgenerator and with a single supply-pipe provided with a safety-valve,means for directing the steam from the coil in the stack of onegenerator into the adjacent generator and for di recting the air-blastinto either or both generators, each generator being also provided IIOwith a controlling cover or valve, and means for conveying the gastherefrom, substantially as shown and described.

5. In an apparatus for manufacturing combustible gases, the combinationof adjacent cupolas or generators, each of which is provided with astack or escape-flue and a steam-coil located therein, an air-blastsupply also in communication with each generator, the steam-coil in thestack of one generator being in communication with an adjacent generatorand each generator being also provided with covers orcontrolling-valves, and means for conveying the gas therefrom.

. (3. In an apparatus for manufacturing combustible gases, thecombination,with a generator provided with an opening or flue in the topthereof through which the hot gases may escape, of a hinged cover orgovernor for said opening and a gas jet orburner located at or near theedge of said opening, substantially as shown and described.

7. In an apparatus for manufacturing combustible gas, the combination,with a cupola or generator, of a telescopic'stack or escapeflue, thelower portion of which is counterbalanced and provided with a hoodadapted to cover or inclose the opening in the top of the generator, avalve or cover by which said opening may be closed when desired, and agas-burner located at or near the opening, substantially as shown anddescribed.

8. In an apparatus for manufacturing combustible gases,the co mbination,with adjacent cupolas or generators, as 1 and 2, each being providedwith covers or valves, as 15, and stacks or escapeflues, as 34, andsteam-coils located therein, of means for supplying air to each or allthe generators and steam to each coil, the steam-coil in the stack ofone gener ator being in communication with the adja cent generator, eachgenerator being also provided with means for conveying the gastherefrom, substantially as shown and described.

9. In an apparatus for manufacturing combustible gases, the combination,with adjacent cupolas or generators, each of which is provided withtelescopic stacks or escape-fines, the lower portion of which iscounterbalanced and adapted to inclose the opening in the top of thegenerators through which the hot gases escape, of a steam-coil supportedin each stack,

the coil in the stack of one generator being in communication with theadjacent generator, each generator being also provided with a cover orvalve and means for conveying the gas therefrom, substantially as shownand described.

10. In an apparatus for man ufacturingcombustible gases, the combinationof a series of cupol'as or generators, each of which is provided with asteam-supply so arranged as to be heated by the products of combustionor heated gases escaping therefrom, the steamsupply heated by onegenerator being in communicationwith another generator, and means foroperating the generators and conveying the gas therefrom, substantiallyas shown and described.

Signed at Saratoga Springs, in the county of Saratoga and State of NewYork this 31st day of December, A. D. 1890.

JAMES S. ROGERS. JAMES H. BAKER. Witnesses:

WINSOR B. FRENCH, MARTIN T. CRooKs.

